Woody FitzHugh and Justin Klein shared the honors in the Baltimore-area half of a split qualifying program for the Maryland Open and State Amateur championships at Chestnut Ridge Country Club yesterday.FitzHugh, head professional at his own driving range in Herndon, Va., had five front-nine birdies in shooting 31-3667 to lead the Open qualifiers, and Klein, a Duke University freshman whose next event will be the NCAA championships in Lexington, Ky., in two weeks, topped the amateur field with 37-3572.

Wounded Va. Tech student improving The family of Justin Klein, a 2004 Catonsville High School graduate injured in Monday's shootings at Virginia Tech, said he is expected to be released from the hospital "shortly," according to a statement released yesterday. Klein, a Virginia Tech junior, was shot three times--twice in his right leg and once in his left elbow, according to the statement. His medical condition "continues to improve," the family said in a statement faxed to news media outlets.

Larry Storck turned the 43rd Baltimore City Amateur championship into a one-man show, as he opened a five-stroke lead on the field after the first round at Hillendale Country Club yesterday.Storck, a two-time CC Maryland club champion, had four birdies in posting a 4-under-par 34-34--68 over the 6,750-yard, par-72 Baltimore County course. Along the way were nine one-putt greens.Rick Riddle, from Sparrows Point CC, had two back-nine birdies in his 38-35--73. Justin Klein of Baltimore CC birdied the last two holes for 39-35--74, a total matched by Frank Neff, Sparrows Point CC, who was even through No. 13 and ended 36-38--74.

BETHESDA - Justin Klein, the last man in the field after Thursday's qualifying round, and teen-agers Billy Wingerd and Ray Sheedy worked their way through two rounds of match play yesterday to reach this morning's quarterfinals in the 80th Maryland State Amateur championship atCongressional Country Club. Klein, the 1998 champion from Baltimore Country Club, eliminated two former titlists in gaining the round of eight. He made up two holes on defender Pat Tallent over the back nine to get even, then ran in a 24-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole.

Rain, basically too much of it, was the order of the day during the first round of the 25th anniversary Maryland Stroke Play championship yesterday at Mount Pleasant Golf Course.It provided minor problems for the morning players, caused a two-hour delay in mid-afternoon, and finally forced a suspension of play early in the evening.The conditions made heroes of the course superintendent and his crew because not only did the course draw rave notices, but the workers did a masterful job of battling the elements in an attempt to get in as much of the round as possible.

Wounded Va. Tech student improving The family of Justin Klein, a 2004 Catonsville High School graduate injured in Monday's shootings at Virginia Tech, said he is expected to be released from the hospital "shortly," according to a statement released yesterday. Klein, a Virginia Tech junior, was shot three times--twice in his right leg and once in his left elbow, according to the statement. His medical condition "continues to improve," the family said in a statement faxed to news media outlets.

Buddy Peoples, who shared the first-round lead at 70, carved out a par-71 yesterday to build a three-stroke lead in the 25th Maryland Amateur Stroke Play championship at Mount PleasantGolf Course.Mark Farrell put up the tournament's best score, a 2-under-par 69, and jumped into contention as part of a three-way tie at 144. This enabled him to join Tom Burns and 1987 champion Bob Kaestner. All three had to complete Friday's round and, after a brief respite, turn around and play their second round.

ROCKVILLE -- Larry Storck and Marty West III, two players with vastly different levels of success in the Maryland State Amateur Championship, battled their way into the 73rd final at Manor Country Club yesterday.In the afternoon semifinals, Storck, who never had gotten past the quarterfinals, held off a late rally by 1970 titlist Bob Morris for a 2-and-1 triumph. West, a seven-time champion from Columbia Country Club, birdied the second extra hole to thwart an upset bid by Justin Klein.The two were to meet in the 36-hole final beginning this morning.

Lack of knowledge about the back nine of Baltimore Country Club's East Course did not seem to bother Keith Unikel yesterday.Seeing most of that portion of the course for the first time, the University of Maryland junior shot 2-under-par 33 to complete a 2-under 68 and win the qualifying medal in the 77th annual men's amateur championship of the Maryland State Golf Association.Three others -- Kirk Lombardi, Pat Tallent and Jeff Graf -- had 69s to better par of 35-3570 on the rolling 6,681-yard layout.

Lack of knowledge about the back nine of Baltimore Country Club's East Course did not seem to bother Keith Unikel yesterday.Seeing most of that portion of the course for the first time, the University of Maryland junior shot 2-under-par 33 to complete a 2-under 68 and win the qualifying medal in the 77th annual men's amateur championship of the Maryland State Golf Association.Three others -- Kirk Lombardi, Pat Tallent and Jeff Graf -- had 69s to better par of 35-3570 on the rolling 6,681-yard layout.

Larry Storck turned the 43rd Baltimore City Amateur championship into a one-man show, as he opened a five-stroke lead on the field after the first round at Hillendale Country Club yesterday.Storck, a two-time CC Maryland club champion, had four birdies in posting a 4-under-par 34-34--68 over the 6,750-yard, par-72 Baltimore County course. Along the way were nine one-putt greens.Rick Riddle, from Sparrows Point CC, had two back-nine birdies in his 38-35--73. Justin Klein of Baltimore CC birdied the last two holes for 39-35--74, a total matched by Frank Neff, Sparrows Point CC, who was even through No. 13 and ended 36-38--74.

By John W. Stewart and John W. Stewart,Sun Staff Writer | August 13, 1995

Martin Pettigrew will likely have one claim to fame -- the distance prize -- before he even begins play in the U.S. Amateur championship next week at the Newport (R.I.) Country Club.Pettigrew, one of four qualifiers from the local event at Green Spring Valley Hunt Club last week, is from Wellington, New Zealand, but it wasn't golf that brought him here."A friend of mine, Graham Murray, lives here, and he is geting married Aug. 20, so I decided to come. We were schoolmates in Wellington," Pettigrew, 28, explained.

Pat Tallent, one of the area's best ball-strikers, shot a pair of 1-under-par 71s and earned the medal in sectional qualifying for the U.S. Amateur championship at Wakefield Valley Country Club yesterday.With 70 starters playing for four available places in the championship, Aug. 24-29 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Tallent was joined by Brian Slevin (143) of Arnold; John McClure (143) of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Justin Klein (145) of Phoenix, Md., and Baltimore CC.The 142 total sent Tallent, of Congressional CC, to the championship for the third straight year.

ROCKVILLE -- Larry Storck and Marty West III, two players with vastly different levels of success in the Maryland State Amateur Championship, battled their way into the 73rd final at Manor Country Club yesterday.In the afternoon semifinals, Storck, who never had gotten past the quarterfinals, held off a late rally by 1970 titlist Bob Morris for a 2-and-1 triumph. West, a seven-time champion from Columbia Country Club, birdied the second extra hole to thwart an upset bid by Justin Klein.The two were to meet in the 36-hole final beginning this morning.

Pat Tallent, one of the area's best ball-strikers, shot a pair of 1-under-par 71s and earned the medal in sectional qualifying for the U.S. Amateur championship at Wakefield Valley Country Club yesterday.With 70 starters playing for four available places in the championship, Aug. 24-29 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Tallent was joined by Brian Slevin (143) of Arnold; John McClure (143) of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Justin Klein (145) of Phoenix, Md., and Baltimore CC.The 142 total sent Tallent, of Congressional CC, to the championship for the third straight year.

BETHESDA - Justin Klein, the last man in the field after Thursday's qualifying round, and teen-agers Billy Wingerd and Ray Sheedy worked their way through two rounds of match play yesterday to reach this morning's quarterfinals in the 80th Maryland State Amateur championship atCongressional Country Club. Klein, the 1998 champion from Baltimore Country Club, eliminated two former titlists in gaining the round of eight. He made up two holes on defender Pat Tallent over the back nine to get even, then ran in a 24-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole.

Woody FitzHugh and Justin Klein shared the honors in the Baltimore-area half of a split qualifying program for the Maryland Open and State Amateur championships at Chestnut Ridge Country Club yesterday.FitzHugh, head professional at his own driving range in Herndon, Va., had five front-nine birdies in shooting 31-3667 to lead the Open qualifiers, and Klein, a Duke University freshman whose next event will be the NCAA championships in Lexington, Ky., in two weeks, topped the amateur field with 37-3572.

Buddy Peoples, who shared the first-round lead at 70, carved out a par-71 yesterday to build a three-stroke lead in the 25th Maryland Amateur Stroke Play championship at Mount PleasantGolf Course.Mark Farrell put up the tournament's best score, a 2-under-par 69, and jumped into contention as part of a three-way tie at 144. This enabled him to join Tom Burns and 1987 champion Bob Kaestner. All three had to complete Friday's round and, after a brief respite, turn around and play their second round.